DailyDirt: Helping The Blind With Technology

from the urls-we-dig-up dept

We've seen some early-stage advances for ways that might help restore sight to people with low vision (or no vision), but it will take many more years before the clinical trials and safety approvals are complete. And not everyone will want to undergo an eye surgery to try to regain some vision, either. Fortunately, robots and wearable technology continue to improve, and these gadgets could become very useful for the blind (and the rest of us, too). Maybe we won't just see telecommuting iPads for remote workers -- but also robot assistants for casual and everyday uses, as well. After you've finished checking out those links, take a look at our Daily Deals for cool gadgets and other awesome stuff.
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Filed Under: baxter, blind, haptics, low vision, robots, smartcane, smartring, tools, visually impaired, wearables
Companies: tactile navigation tools


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  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 6 Oct 2015 @ 7:04pm

    Virtual Visual Cortex

    Eventually we bypass our eyes altogether since they are limited by their very nature. When we are all using external cameras, being physically blind will no longer be relevant or permanent.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Christa, 6 Oct 2015 @ 7:29pm

    you forgot Sonar Glasses by G-Technology Group

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Bryan (profile), 6 Oct 2015 @ 10:36pm

    Tactile Navigation Tools is a company founded by a visually-impaired doctor, making a sensor-equipped vest and "smart cane" to help the blind.

    I sure hope they don't put their initials on their products, especially the vest...

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Bt Garner (profile), 7 Oct 2015 @ 3:04am

    Dammit robots, knock it off, first you come here and take our menial labor jobs, now you want my medical right to take my (future) seeing eye dog anywhere I please? What next, are you going to take away my ability to drive me and my seeing eye dog around by ourselves?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 7 Oct 2015 @ 5:14am

    Robots

    "Given that some of the most advanced robots still have trouble navigating the world by themselves, robots helping the blind might not happen for a long time"

    But we'll let them drive cars until then.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 7 Oct 2015 @ 8:19am

      Re: Robots

      Imagine what a seeing eye dog brain could do in an android body.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 8 Oct 2015 @ 3:50pm

    Oddest thing I ever saw on TV was a soft-porn flick on the commercial free channels, which had a pre-show announcement that verbal-description was provided for the blind.

    link to this | view in chronology ]


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